Failure To Close The Drinking Houses

This letter to the editor, printed in the July 22, 1877 edition of the Baltimore American, asks why saloons in Baltimore remained open, even after receiving the order to close, and seemed to indicate the ineffectiveness of the police in the situation.

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FAILURE TO CLOSE THE DRINKING HOUSES.

Messrs. Editors of the American:

Gentlemen—Through the medium of your valuable paper I should like to make the following pertinent query. Why was it, after the orders to close the saloons were issued, that all the drinking houses in the neighborhood of the depot, especially on Hanover, Camden and Howard streets, were wide open, with windows and outside lamps lit, pursuing their usual busines[s] without any interference from the police? I conside[r] it most essential that during these exciting times al[l] saloons should be strictly closed, and made it my duty to report to officers many who were open, bu[t] found an hour or so afterwards that they were stil[l] open; but in the centre of the city, where it made much less difference, all were kept closed.

Very respectfully,
M.

About this Document

  • Source: Baltimore American
  • Author: M.
  • Date: July 22, 1877